The Better Deal
by UnityInDiversity
Summary: One Shot. Watching Brennan work, Booth wonders whether he or Zack has the better deal.


**Author's note:** Inspired by a challenge in the days of yore (well somewhere in 2007 anyway), I wrote this little one shot piece. The challenge was simply 'jealousy'. I knew I wanted Booth to be the jealous one, but not because of Brennan's date, as has been written many times already (not illogically and still very entertaining, though). Thus, I chose a Squint instead…

**Disclaimer:** Don't own it, just borrowing...

**Spoilers:** Slight spoiler for 3.10 (The Santa in the Slush)

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**The Better Deal**

Booth swiped his card through the reader of the security system at the Jeffersonian Institute's Medico-Legal laboratory. The small green light lit up and the machine emitted two short beeps, allowing him access. As the agent stepped onto the platform, he shoved the card in the back pocket of his jeans and called out a general greeting. He walked up to the examination table, where he found Brennan and Zack hunched over some remains and Hodgins behind the computer at a nearby desk. While Cam was in the pathology lab, Angela was nowhere in sight and for a second he wondered where she was, but then quickly pushed those thoughts away again. Angela wasn't the woman he'd come for. In fact, he had officially come to the lab to ask Hodgins to identify some particulates for the FBI, as ordered by Cullen thirty minutes earlier. What his boss wasn't aware of, however, was that the other reason for his presence was taking Brennan out for lunch. Or try to, as he had to pry her away from the remains first. That was never an easy task with her. He would give it his best shot, though. Since they hadn't been working on a case for two days, they hadn't had lunch together either and he felt it was time. Dare he think it—he missed her.

He walked over to Hodgins' desk and handed him the evidence bag, asking him if he could identify the particulates on the piece of carpet as soon as he had a free moment.

"Sweet," Hodgins replied, as he put on a pair of gloves and retrieved the carpet from the bag. He put it under his microscope and started the examination right away, in hopes of finding something exciting. Exciting to him, anyway.

Booth smiled, still somewhat surprised by the man's enthusiasm for unidentified particulates. He didn't get it, but then again, he didn't get a lot of things that went on in this workplace.

"So, what am I examining here?" Hodgins asked from behind his microscope.

"A piece of carpet, even I can tell that without looking through a microscope."

"Yes, I'm aware of that. I mean, what's the case? Why am I looking at this _piece of carpet_? Any facts you can tell me?"

"No."

"Nothing? What's with the secrecy? I bet you can't…"

"Okay, before you get started on any of your conspiracy theories," Booth interrupted him. "I can't tell you anything, because it's not my case. I'm just the messenger. There should be an email with more details in your inbox."

"Alright then, I'll check that in a minute."

"Okay. So, should I come back after lunch, or wait here?"

"You can wait."

Booth nodded, even though Hodgins wasn't able to see. Letting the Squint do his job, he moved closer to the examination table where Brennan and Zack were still working. He leaned back against the railing for support and watched as the two doctors worked in silence.

"Who is that?" Booth questioned after a moment. "He doesn't look fresh."

"She," Brennan corrected him without looking up.

"These are human skeletal remains from the Middle Ages, Agent Booth," Zack added.

Booth shrugged, he was rarely interested in anything the young Squint had to say, especially when it didn't concern any of his murder cases. Their unwritten rule of ignoring him still worked satisfactorily for both parties. No use breaking it. If Zack wanted to believe that being ignored by Booth was the agent's way of acknowledging his presence, it suited Booth just fine.

"Do we have a case?" Brennan asked him, now finally looking at him, one hand on her hip.

"Nope."

"So, what are you doing here?"

"Way to make me feel welcome, Bones!" Booth laughed, but quickly went on to explain his presence as Brennan looked at him demandingly. "Two things. One, FBI business. I have Hodgins identifying some particulates on a piece of carpet for us. Since I'm the official liaison to you guys, I was asked to bring it here."

"And? The second reason?"

Booth gave her his patented charm-smile. "Taking you out to lunch."

Brennan couldn't resist smiling back at her partner. "Thanks, but as you can see, I can't leave."

"Can't Zack finish it?"

"He is certainly qualified to do so, yes, but we started on it together, so I'd like to finish it together."

"But she's from the Middle Ages, I think it can wait another hour."

Brennan released a sigh. "Look Booth, if you would just let us work, we'll be done soon and we can grab a bite to eat at the diner, okay? And if you can keep your mouth shut for the next couple of minutes, lunch will be on me."

"Sounds good," he replied with a bright smile, more than content with the arrangement. Getting her to come to lunch with him had been easier than expected. Then again, throwing his charm smile at her seemed to work on most occasions.

Brennan nodded, then went back to work. From his spot at the railing, Booth watched the two forensic anthropologists do their examination of the bones. He wasn't just watching them, he was observing their every move—especially hers—as they examined the skeleton and picked up bones for closer inspection. Every now and then, they pointed out their findings to each other, but for the most part they worked in silent concentration. They seemed to work on automatic pilot; it looked so effortlessly, so natural to him. As if they'd been doing this day in, day out for twenty years. In reality, it was only a couple of years, beginning from the time that Zack was still a grad-student and Brennan his teacher. Now they were officially equals and the automatisms had evolved into teamwork. Just like Brennan and him were working together much smoother than in the beginning of their partnership. Their own relationship had evolved as well, from mere bickering to…

He couldn't finish his thoughts about what exactly their relationship had evolved into, for Brennan and Zack changed positions behind the table and, as they did so, they accidentally brushed up against each other. For some reason, Booth tightened his grip on the railing, as a rush of jealousy washed over him. The physical contact was in no way intended to make him jealous, it was unintentional period, but it still made him want to switch places with Zack. A definite first.

He looked on as the two resumed work as if nothing had happened. To them, nothing had of course. Then why did he have such a strong reaction to it himself? Sure, he wished he'd been the one she'd brushed up against. He understood that much. What he didn't understand was why that mattered to him when not too long ago she'd kissed him in her office under some mistletoe. For at least eight steamboats no less, as one particular public prosecutor had undoubtedly counted in her head. If he could switch places with anyone, it would be with himself, that day under the mistletoe, and he'd count at least ten steamboats. Actually, he wouldn't count at all.

Booth watched as Zack handed Brennan one of the bones—he recognized it as an arm bone, but that was as far as his knowledge reached—and looked at her questioningly. She nodded and smiled at him. Apparently, his observation had been correct. He had no idea what observation, but, again, he wished he'd been in Zack's place and she'd smile at him instead. He loved to see her smile, truly smile, as she didn't do it that often, but always looked beautiful when she did. Truth be told, he always thought she looked beautiful, even now, bent over remains with a frown on her face. She was beautiful. And sexy. And he was definitely ready to go to lunch and have her all to himself. No more sharing her with Zack.

"Finished?" Booth asked hopefully.

"Not yet," Brennan replied as she put the arm bone under the microscope.

Booth groaned inaudibly. He knew he didn't have priority on her, especially since they didn't have a case, but he was so used to having her work with him instead of the Squints. Perhaps that was it. He was jealous of Zack simply because he was working together with her now. She was supposed to be _his_ Bones, solving crimes with him. However, this skeleton from the Middle Ages obviously had her priority and he began to realize that today Zack might be having the better deal.

At that moment his phone began to ring. With his eyes still focussed on his Bones, he answered the call. The longer he listened to his boss on the other side of the line, the bigger his smile became. After finishing the conversation, he closed the phone, put it away and then walked up to Brennan. He gently put his hands on her shoulders, pulling her away from the examination table.

"Booth, what are you doing? We haven't finished our examination yet."

"Well, I'm afraid Zack has to finish it after all. We've got a case."

"Do we really?"

Booth nodded. "Uh-huh. So, come on, let's go."

With a sigh, Brennan took off her gloves, while Booth was already stripping her from her labcoat. When both were discarded, Booth guided her off the platform, a hand on her lower back.

"Booth?" Hodgins called out after him.

Booth turned his head slightly to look back at the scientist. "Yeah?"

"The particulates? You wanna know my findings?"

"I'll read the report," he replied dismissively, already turning his attention back to the woman under his touch. He had better things to focus on now that he would finally have the forensic anthropologist to himself. He was no longer jealous of Zack. He had the better deal after all.

"What? I have to write a report? You didn't tell me I…" Hodgins started, but Booth and Brennan had left the lab already.

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**_Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!_**


End file.
